Understanding Admiralty and Maritime Injuries
Maritime work is inherently risky, with injuries occurring due to vessel accidents, equipment failure, and hazardous conditions at sea. Admiralty and maritime laws provide specific protections and rights for injured maritime workers. Our attorneys have in-depth knowledge of these laws and are committed to helping you understand your rights and options.
- Vessel Accidents: Injuries from vessel collisions, groundings, and sinkings can be severe. We help you hold the responsible parties accountable and seek compensation for your injuries.
- Equipment Failure: Malfunctioning equipment on ships and offshore platforms can lead to serious injuries. We ensure that you get the medical care and compensation you need.
- Hazardous Conditions: Working at sea involves exposure to extreme weather, slippery surfaces, and dangerous cargo. Our legal team is experienced in handling these complex cases and fighting for your rights.
Legal Protections Under Maritime Law
Maritime law encompasses various statutes and regulations designed to protect the rights of maritime workers. Key laws include the Jones Act, the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA), and general maritime law. Our attorneys are experts in maritime cases, ensuring that you receive the full benefits and protections afforded by the law.
- The Jones Act: This federal law allows injured seamen to seek compensation from their employers for negligence. We guide you through the process to ensure you receive all entitled benefits.
- LHWCA: This act provides compensation to longshoremen, harbor workers, and other maritime employees injured on navigable waters or adjoining areas. We handle your claims to secure necessary medical care and financial support.
- General Maritime Law: Covers a wide range of issues, including maintenance and cure, unseaworthiness claims, and wrongful death actions. Our team has the expertise to navigate these complexities and provide you with effective legal representation.
Why Choose Templer & Hirsch?
Choosing the right legal representation is crucial for securing the compensation you deserve. At Templer & Hirsch, we offer personalized, dedicated, and expert legal services for admiralty and maritime injury cases. Here’s why you should trust us with your case:
- Proven Track Record: Our firm has successfully handled numerous admiralty and maritime injury cases, securing significant settlements and verdicts for our clients.
- Comprehensive Legal Support: From initial consultation to final settlement, we provide thorough legal support, keeping you informed and involved throughout the process.
- Client-Focused Approach: We prioritize your needs and well-being, offering compassionate and personalized legal services to ensure the best possible outcome for your case.
Maritime & Admiralty Law — What Injured Seamen and Workers Should Know
Maritime law is governed by federal statutes and centuries of General Maritime Law — not state injury statutes. Knowing which law applies often determines the size of your recovery.
The Jones Act
The Jones Act (46 U.S.C. §30104) lets seamen injured in the course of employment sue their employer for negligence. Unlike workers’ comp, the Jones Act allows recovery for full personal injury damages including pain and suffering. Statute of limitations is generally three years. Coverage requires that the worker be a “seaman” — permanently assigned to a vessel or fleet that is in navigation.
Unseaworthiness
Under General Maritime Law, vessel owners owe seamen an absolute duty to provide a seaworthy vessel — the ship, its gear, and its crew must be reasonably fit for their intended purpose. Unseaworthiness is a no-fault claim, distinct from Jones Act negligence, and we typically pursue both in parallel.
Maintenance and Cure
Vessel owners owe an ancient duty of maintenance and cure — daily living expenses and medical care — to seamen who become injured or ill in service of the vessel, regardless of fault, until the seaman reaches maximum medical improvement. Carriers routinely cut these benefits off prematurely; we force them back on.
Death on the High Seas Act
DOHSA (46 U.S.C. §30301) governs wrongful death claims for deaths occurring more than three nautical miles from US shore. It allows pecuniary damages but limits non-economic recovery. Common applications: cruise ship deaths, offshore drilling, aviation crashes at sea.
LHWCA and the Defense Base Act
Workers who don’t qualify as seamen but are injured on US navigable waters or adjacent areas may recover under the LHWCA (33 U.S.C. §901) — we’ve handled hundreds of these claims at Florida ports. Civilian contractors injured overseas may recover under the Defense Base Act, which incorporates LHWCA benefits.
Common Maritime Injuries
Maritime work is among the most dangerous in the country. We’ve handled claims involving:
- Falls on slippery decks caused by oil, hydraulic fluid, fish offal, or weather.
- Equipment and rigging failures — broken winches, snapping lines, defective hoists.
- Crushing injuries from cargo, containers, mooring lines, and machinery.
- Falls overboard and near-drowning incidents.
- Fires and explosions aboard tankers, fishing vessels, and offshore platforms.
- Collisions and groundings caused by negligent navigation or unseaworthy vessels.
- Hurricane and weather-related injuries when vessels are sent into known dangerous conditions.
- Hearing loss, respiratory disease, and chemical exposure from prolonged shipboard environments.
Each scenario opens distinct routes — Jones Act negligence, unseaworthiness, maintenance and cure, third-party claims — and we pursue every one that fits the facts.
Meet the Attorneys Who Will Handle Your Case
Templer & Hirsch has represented injured seamen, longshore workers, and offshore contractors for over 35 years and recovered more than $100 million for clients. When you call, you talk to an attorney — not a case manager.
- David L. Templer — Founding partner with decades of trial experience handling Jones Act, LHWCA, and admiralty cases.
- Mark Hirsch — Partner concentrating on maritime, longshore, and serious injury claims; known for hands-on client communication.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is admiralty and maritime law?
The body of federal and international law governing activities on navigable waters — injuries, contracts, salvage, collisions, cargo damage, and pollution.
What is the Jones Act?
A federal statute (46 U.S.C. §30104) allowing seamen injured at work to sue their employer for negligence and recover full personal injury damages, including pain and suffering. Three-year SOL.
What does “unseaworthiness” mean?
Vessel owners owe seamen an absolute duty to provide a seaworthy vessel — ship, gear, and crew reasonably fit for their purpose. Unseaworthiness is a no-fault claim under General Maritime Law.
What is maintenance and cure?
An ancient maritime obligation requiring vessel owners to pay daily living expenses (maintenance) and medical care (cure) to seamen injured or ill in service of the vessel, until maximum medical improvement.
What is DOHSA?
The Death on the High Seas Act (46 U.S.C. §30301) governs wrongful death claims for deaths beyond three nautical miles from shore. Common in cruise, aviation-at-sea, and offshore cases.
How long do I have to file?
Jones Act and most General Maritime Law claims: three years. LHWCA: one year (with 30-day notice). Cruise passenger contracts often impose a one-year deadline. Move quickly — deadlines vary.
If you or a loved one has been injured, the most important step you can take is to speak with an experienced attorney as soon as possible. Call Templer & Hirsch today for a free, confidential consultation — we are ready to help.
